1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information input/output device for visually impaired users for providing information to visually impaired users in braille, and for receiving instructions concerning the information by the visually impaired users.
2. Description of the Related Art
In vending machines, fare adjustment machines, or cash dispensers located in financial agencies, indications in braille are used for easily providing information to visually impaired users. In these information input/output devices for visually impaired users, push buttons or touch panels with braille indications are provided for receiving instructions concerning the given information from the visually impaired users. This type of information input/output device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. Hei 10-255106, for example.
However, in these unmanned automatic machines, at present, in order to perform numerous and complicated operations, the number of buttons for inputting the instructions has increased and the operation of these buttons has become complicated. As a result, with the increase in the number of buttons, it has become difficult to put braille indications on all the buttons, or if the braille indications are put on all the buttons, it is difficult to find the location of the information for the operation or the button for the operation. Therefore, these machines present great difficulties for operation by visually impaired users.
Furthermore, at present, since there is a great variety of automatic machines, the positions of the buttons vary for different machines, and this also causes difficulties in finding buttons for the operation.
The object of the present invention is to provide an information input/output device for visually impaired users with which visually impaired users can easily obtain information and execute operations without confusion.